Carr looking to get on field in 2008

By Collin Mickle

Published: August 4, 2008

Everyone agrees Quindarius Carr is the future of Auburn’s wide receiver position.

The sky is the limit for the redshirt freshman, according to coaches and teammates alike.

Senior Rod Smith loves his potential.

“He’s going to be a great receiver,” Smith said Sunday, after Carr livened up Auburn’s second preseason practice with a juggling catch in one-on-one drills.

Outside receivers coach Greg Knox agrees.

“He’s just going to keep getting better and better and better in this offense,” Knox said.

That’s fine with Carr. He’s happy to be making an impression.

But Carr doesn’t want to be Auburn’s future; he’d much rather be the present.

“I have simple goals for this season,” he said. “First of all, to get on the field.

“Once that’s taken care of, I want to catch a bunch of balls and help my team win a championship.”

Carr doesn’t lack for confidence. It’s who he is. It’s what helped a 160-pound wideout from Huntsville become a high-profile recruit, one of the top skill players in Auburn’s 2007 signing class.

Now, that confidence is helping sustain him in his quest to turn all the talk about his future into cheers for right now.

It won’t be easy. After all, he’s currently practicing at the “X” receiver position, behind Smith and junior Montez Billings — Auburn’s top two receivers last season.

Smith and Billings combined for 80 catches and 1,026 yards in 2007. And Carr?

He didn’t have a catch. In fact, he didn’t play a snap. Instead, he spent his true freshman season on the scout team, soaking up the nuances of the college game and bulking up in redshirt workouts.

It wasn’t an easy adjustment. After all, he hadn’t spent a fall without football games in years.

“I was maybe 5 years old the last time I didn’t play football,” he said with a laugh. “It’s been a long time, man.

“It’s been a while.”

But the year off helped. And the transition to coordinator Tony Franklin’s spread offense — a version of which Carr played as a high schooler — has been a bonus.

Now, Carr is ready to begin putting his vast potential to good use.

“I feel like I’ve gotten ahead,” he said. “I look to guys like Rod and Montez for advice. I’m getting better and better every day.”

The future is getting closer all the time.

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